Regulation and Safety

By the early 20th century, governments began regulating medicines to ensure safety and efficacy. The 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act in the United States, for example, marked a turning point.

Pharmaceutical companies started producing standardized cough medicines with known active ingredients. Codeine-based syrups became popular for suppressing severe coughs.

Discovery of Antihistamines and Decongestants

In the mid-20th century, antihistamines and decongestants were introduced, improving treatment for coughs caused by allergies and upper respiratory infections.

Expectorants like guaifenesin were developed to help loosen mucus, making coughs more productive and less painful.

Antibiotics and Cough

The discovery of antibiotics transformed cough treatment for bacterial infections like pneumonia and whooping cough. Although antibiotics do not treat cough directly, they address underlying infections causing coughing.

Cough Reflex Research and New Therapeutics

Scientific research elucidated the neurobiology of the cough reflex, leading to development of drugs targeting cough receptors and pathways.

Newer medications like dextromethorphan, introduced in the 1950s, offered non-narcotic cough suppression. shutdown123